Wichita eagle., 1887-05-27

,Pend Oreilles, slim, active -sockade t.,
and almost naked, a. 40, men. ,n;1s parenc adet
80. and few -.ned WIN b.,ws am
arrows s. ana A. nuzzle LOADING r;fes f,ftte>
as spectel long the tree. .ha;, honst.; Sss.
twa"~slng, and their lo- ~ war Arrows Within
IN swalms .nrou "a the air. They gradually
approacneo che stockade. II was evident
tnas sney meant to storm the fort. High
, above the din Of battle sounded the directing
voices Of their chiefs II anything was to bt
done to avert the final fight, which promised
to be slaughter, it had Of necessity to be
done quickly. Haley was torn by conflicting
emotions The Blackfeet had killed many
| Of his friends and he hated them. But be
depended on their trade for the support Of his
trading post. he was tired Of hearing them
boast, weary Of seeing them swagger around
his fort. He wanted them to be killed. But
every Blachoot represented certain number
of buffalo robes annually. He could not
afford to have them killed His commercial
instincts triumphed He entered one of
the bas.ions which lowered above
the main fort, clambered to its sub.
NIT, and there crouched. Then, after
waving white cloth for an instant, he stood
erect and began to talk to the Pend GRIZZLIES.
Haley, SLOUGH hated, flannel shirted, rife :.
hand, on bastion addressing We, party OF
victorious Indians who were preparing 10 as
| sault his fort, was impressive spectacle,
Hewas greeted with derisiye yells. He stood
| calmly and waited pnAi the woods became
4nent Then he Saiked to the Pend Grizzlies OF
the beautizs Of peace, OF the benefits the Ind
ians derived from commerce. He dwelt
briefly on the causes Of the hereditary war
that ragged between the Blackfeet and the
Pend Oreilles, and graphically set forth the
advantages the latter would reap if they
abandoned the warpath He said that he
was the friend Of all Indians, and that it
made him sad to see them kill one another.
Finally, and by this time the Pend Oreilles
were listening attentively to him, he said ::
"These Blackfeet braves whom you have
driven into my corral are my friends. I
have fifteen white men in this fort. They
have strong hearts. If you attempt to as
sault the corral my white men will kill you.
You had better stop fighting and send your
chief men into the fort to talk to the Black
feet chiefs and make peace" Then he spoke
briefly to the corraled Blackfeet, and they
eagerly promised not to fire on the Pend
Oreille ENJOYS
Presently three young Indians, clad in
breechclouts, with their bows in their bends
came out from behind widely separated trees
and walked on converging trails to the door
OF the fort. They were admitted and stood
side by side, with their bows and fitted ar.
rows in their hands, and gazed into the dark
ness through blazing eyes. Another door
which opened into the corral was cautiously
opened and five Blackfeet chiefs entered.
1lnV wp-a VVrqnrQ6 In 1,,ko
their rifles openly in their hands. They were
gigantic men and handsome They looked
curlously at the slight, alert Pend Oreilles,
and the latter faced them in the gloom as
though about to spring on them. I expected
10 see blood flow every instant. Silently the
hostile ENJOYS faced one another. Presently
the eyes of the Blackfeet wavered, trembled
and sought to rest on the more friendly ewes
of the whites. Haley interpreted for the
Pend GRIZZLIES, who voiced their determine.
ton through young chief. He recounted
the grievances of his people. He rep.oached.
he invoked, he denounced, and his ewes ever
blazed and his fingers toyed with his bow
string. His speech was listened to attentivelv
by the Blackfeet. When he had finished
talking he drew himsstf up proudlv
and gazed fearlessly and fiercelv y
his enemies. Haley tarned to me and said.
"He has been laying down the law to these
thieves and towards He has been ahusipc
their tribe, and he has consented to maks
peace and to let them out of the hole he has
them in on his own terms, which are l,ard
and degrading" - ''0io
A Blackfoot chief dropped his blank 1t from
MS shoulders. In the dim light lie looked
ike bronze statue. He stepped forward n
yard and began to talk slowly and with MANY
gestures. Again Haley INTERPRETED. At
entively the Pend Ogeilles listened Now
heir mobile faces lighted with amusement.
hen darkened with scorn and contemnt
Tie Blackfoot's speech finished. it was scot.
lnSly waved into dark corner by the praca.
III hands of the Pend GRIZZLIES. Then the
eader turned to Haley, and in a few yords
dispensed with his services as internreter
lie strobe close to the Blackfeet chiefs. who
airly covered before him. He CAST his how
mo arrow on the ground, and began to talk
the sign language His arms and hands
moved ncessantly. He rode horseback, he
liied buffalo, he fished, he slept, he fought
no scaiped his foes, he cut lodge poles and
ulit his lodge, and whatever he did did
PEACEFULLY and well While he was talking
4 signs the eyes Of both whites and Indians |
Tere set on him. heard murmurs of appro- |
al from the rough, half civilized traders. |
nch as Tive it to the beggars," "Clean them
ut, THAT is just" "That is true" To me |
ne conversation was somewhat incomprehen. |
bile, but l gathered from the remarks of the |
mite mon and such of the signs as under |
God that be was savagely scathing the
lackfeet and arrogantly debating his terms |
peace Through with talking, he picked |
his bnw and arrow, shook hands with sew
raj Of the white men, and walked out Of the |
'rt Followed by his comrades They sep
rated and disappeared into the woods where |
heir soldiers lurked.
he left the Blackfeet amazed at the an.
aclty of his demands. He claimed every |
orse they had In the corral as prizes of war.
q Insisted that In the future the Columbia |
yer Indians should be free to hunt and |
n and camp in the land of the Blackfeet |
lthont molestatiU. All disputes about |
Glen horses were to be settled once for all ]
letting bygones be bygones, whoever then J
Id the horses should keep them; but Tat
b more horses should be stolen. In add;s,on.
I'd to hasten the making of the treaty. he
10 that he had sent runners to the main |
AU AoAAAo uioes Al cdHlp on the MIX river,
tell the warriors to hurry to the battle |
I'D, and that he intended to have the horses
at Were in the corral and to scalp every
lackfcot in the party II his terms were not
freed to. And, he added, that he and his
opla had crossed the mountains expressly to
INT the Blackfeet, and they intended to ex-
them, man, woman and child, and
their country for game preserve.
The Blfrkfeet chiefs were turned into the
rral, fiji st having been strongly advised by
alley to accept the terms offered. They